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Before building began on the Olympic Park, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) invited archaeologists from the Museum of London to look for evidence of prehistoric Londoners right through to Roman, Viking, medieval and modern times.

As part of the process of getting the Olympic Park site ready, archaeological investigations took place on the sites of the 'big five' permanent venues. This picture shows them at work on the Aquatics Centre site.

The first finds on the Park included a World War II gun emplacement, Roman river walls and this Roman coin. The coin has been dated between AD 330-335, the reign of Emperor Constantine.

Viewed from the air, this archaeological trench near the Olympic Stadium was the location of another find. The trench revealed a complete 19th century boat, thought to be used for hunting wild fowl on the River Lea.

Perhaps the most interesting find to date were the four prehistoric skeletons found buried in graves around an area of Iron Age settlement on the Aquatics Centre site.

London 2012 is running an archaeology programme called 'discover'. The programme will run for one year and give local residents and schoolchildren a fascinating insight into the past of the Olympic Park.

Jeff, Police Officer, 28 July 2008: I'm part of an on-site policing team of five officers and we're lucky to have a unique job in the Metropolitan Police - providing policing support to the huge construction...